Time, medicine and alcohol
by gossamer moonglow
Summary: Taking care of a drunken and injured co-worker reminds Gibbs about the time and how quickly it passes by.


Slightly out of character Gibbs? Very possible!

**Time, medicine and alcohol**

_'McGee, are you coming with me tonight?'_

And that was the beginning of his ordeal. He should have refused DiNozzo's proposal like he had always done before. But, his mood was good, for the first time in weeks, the day had ended with the bad guy in jail after a rather all consuming questioning "made by Boss". That day he also had the minimum possible interaction with cold and Abby as well. And no! It wasn't that he didn't want to see and talk to Abby, but... well he didn't! not since she had found herself a new paramour to spend her time with and keep ranting about. A man can take what a man cat take... or something similar. Now why couldn't he remember the similar?

Why? Because, and that was when the problem began, he had accepted whatever Tony kept pushing at him, liquid with alcohol. And that was what had brought him here; in front of his Boss. An angry looking Boss, possibly the anger wasn't directed at him though...who was dangling a set of handcuffs in front of his face. Oh just a moment! Those were his own handcuffs, the ones he was holding a couple of seconds ago... to do what with them? His intoxicated brain provided no answer. And well, he wasn't feeling as good as before. He dropped to his knees and tried to calm his stomach. It was a lost cause from the beginning. Damn, but he didn't think his stomach was going to make it.

%&%&%&

Gibbs stared at the miserable excuse of the man of the man he knew so well and was proud of. The kid really had too much to drink. He looked behind the shivering form to the one responsible for their current situation.

'Gibbs, let me explain…' He didn't have the chance to explain though because the youngest of them kneeled on the ground and threw up all the alcohol he had consumed the last hour or so. Gibbs pushed McGee's handcuffs in his jacket's pocket and proceeded in helping the young man.

'Can I help?'

'No, DiNozzo! I think you helped enough for one night. Tomorrow, maybe…' Gibbs said with a hint of sarcasm.

'Boss, I didn't know he'd react that badly in a little alcohol… in a couple of beers and a tequila.. .' He added a little quieter as if he was trying not to be heard by Gibbs. But he did, and Gibbs wanted to shout that alcohol never mixed well with medication and Tony knew that all too well, but a moan from Tim stopped him. He needed to take matters in his own hands. But first.

'Will you tell me what exactly he was doing with the handcuffs?' There was a simmering anger under the low spoken question and Tony gulped before answering.

'I kind of… challenged him… to… well…'

'Well what, DiNozzo?' That annoying brow was once again higher than usual and Tony knew he had to answer.

'…I challenged him to put them on and then take them off without the key.'

'What?'

'He said he could do it, Boss!' He lamely explained.

'He's drunk Tony. He could very easily say he could strip naked and dance the Macarena.' The angry tone didn't stop Tony from thinking how old the macarena dance was, but he was most certainly not saying that to Gibbs. Gibbs took a deep sigh.

'Help me put him in the car.' What actually came as a surprise was how light McGee was. Both men had thought of him as a lot heavier, and they never believed the lost of weight was so much until the moment they had to carry him to Gibbs' car. Tony didn't know what to say at their Boss' questioning look. He just shrugged off and put the buckle on the unconscious man as Jethro climbed at the driver's seat.

'Don't you ever pull anything like this again, Tony. You know he was out of the hospital last week so he's still on pain killers.' Tony had really forgotten about that though. For once, he had only tried to make Tim feel better and he had screwed up royally.

'Sorry, Boss.'

'Don't apologize to me. Can you go home on your own?'

'Sure! I'm fine! Are you taking Tim home?' Gibbs thought that was obvious.

'Yes. See you at work on Monday.' Gibbs could see he had made Tony feel guilty but the exuberant man should have thought about McGee's condition before dragging him on a bar.

He took McGee on his own house rather than Tim's. It would have been easier to take care of the younger man at the luxury of his place where he knew what he had to use to make Tim feel more comfortable.

He still couldn't believe neither of his agents had remembered Tim's medication. Tony would have never called him for help and besides that from what he saw his senior agent hadn't even seen something was terribly off with the younger man. He was thankful that the bar's owner was a Gibbs' old friend and when he realized something wasn't right with him he had contacted Jethro. It was a pure coincidence Jason knew they were his agents.

What he saw when he climbed of the car had made him angry at the stupidity of the usually intelligent men. Snapping the handcuffs from Tim as the green eyed man was giving desperate efforts to prove his words true was the best part of this adventure just because it gave Jethro the pleasure of seeing Tim's and Tony's faces when they realized he was there. Then he was too worried to even contemplate the pleasant feeling.

Gibbs pulled over at his house and turned to look at his sleeping passenger. He pushed the hair of his brow and let his fingers linger on the warm skin; which was way too warm for his liking. He got off the car and he went to the other side and he unbuckled Tim.

'Come on Tim, let me help.'

'Dad…?' Came the sleepy question.

'Gibbs.' He said firmly and put his arms around the lean waist Tim's arms went around his neck as the young man was pulled on his feet. Tim tightened his hold and so did Gibbs.

'Dizzy…' he murmured while he was trying to walk but mostly being dragged.

'I'm sure it is, Tim. Just hang on for a while.'

A few minutes later he had Tim on a couch and a wet, warm cloth in his hand. He cleaned Tim's face and took of some of his clothes, his jacket and shirt. He pushed his charge to lie on the couch while he leaned to remove the shoes. After that he went to retrieve a blanket and a pillow for his guest. He draped the quilt on the long body and pushed the pillow under the pliant head. For a drunken person Tim wasn't so hard to handle.

His attempt to tuck Tim in was broken short by said man's resisting. He looked at his agent's face once again and what he saw was a boy, the face too youthful and innocent despite everything he had seen and lived in the job he had chosen. And Gibbs knew only too well how hard those things were.

He pulled Tim's undershirt and saw the bruise under his left shoulder still too irritated to not ache. He couldn't resist putting his fingers upon it and touching the wound. It was still too warm and a hiss from the injured man showed his he was still in pain. And the idiot had thought it was a good idea to go and share some drinks with DiNozzo, Gibbs felt his anger rising towards the young man in front of him, towards Tim or himself he wasn't certain.

Gibbs pushed the t-shirt back down and pulled the burgundy coverlet to cover Tim's body. He couldn't help but notice the colour complimented Tim's complexion really well. He stared at the sleeping man who was starting to feel restless, in the throes of a nightmare. Jethro's hand had returned to Tim's face, the touch light like a caress, to just remind Tim he wasn't alone; there was someone there to take care of him. And so Tim calmed down as Gibbs leaned to leave a kiss on the heated brow only to be frozen middle move. Still, he continued and finished his intention. His kid needed him that night so he was going to stay there and make sure the monsters were kept away, if only for one day.

It wasn't his usual behaviour, he knew it which meant he was glad there was no one around to see him and later remind him of his actions towards Tim, a team member. It was just that in that precise moment he didn't feel as the commanding Boss, but as anxious family member who was seeing the youngest in discomfort, or so he tried to say to himself to excuse his act.

He sat on the floor next to Tim's sofa and as Tim's arm reached out for something to hold onto Gibbs grabbed it with his own. The slight light permitted him to see the eased, youthful face clearer. No lines, no wrinkles coming with the passing time despite the bad feeling Gibbs knew Tim would have shortly for sure. The dark circles under his eyes were just as clear as well and Jethro wondered about his sleeping habits and in how much pain exactly Tim was in those last days.

The sudden urge to comfort was surprising. Gibbs wanted to wrap him in his arms and let him rest lying on his lap, to reassure him everything was going to be fine.

Was he getting that old as to see a man at Tim's age as a child or was this sudden impulse caused by something else? He wasn't sure he wanted to know. Just for one night he could pretend he had someone to look after and despite knowing the hard floor underneath him wouldn't be very forgiving in the morning he couldn't bring himself to leave Tim alone and head to his own comfortable bed.

Gibbs tried to find a better position on the floras he laid his head on the couch next to Tim's chest. The next day he would find a way to make today look more professional and less personal than it really was, he was certain he could find a way to hide his loneliness since Tim was too lost to remember anything.

Last coherent thought before drifting to sleep as weariness beaten his determination for a little while was how Tim would look the moment Gibbs would return him his handcuffs.

Finis

_Written for Picture Inspration & Very Random NFA challenges. Prompt: Leroy Jethro Gibbs/Timothy McGee/handcuffs_


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